In the Dioceses of Durham and Newcastle we are continuing to develop the training of clergy in the four years following ordination. This period is known as IME Phase 2 (Initial Ministerial Education, Phase 2; IME Phase 1 takes place prior to ordination, either at a residential college, or through a non-residential course such as Lindisfarne RTP). The delivery of IME Phase 2 is also part of the work of the Lindisfarne Regional Training Partnership.

In IME Phase 2 we are seeking steadily to put into practice the recommendations flowing from the significant national reports, Formation for Ministry Within a Learning Church (2003, known as the “Hind Report”), and Shaping the Future (2005). The growing collaboration between the two dioceses in IME Phase 2 has now been formalised through the formation of the Lindisfarne Regional Training Partnership, and the incorporation of IME Phase 2 in this.

Recent years have seen some significant changes to the training programme:

- a larger number of events taking place;

- most events are now run in mixed Durham and Newcastle year groups (so each of years 4, 5, 6 and 7 have a clear programme);

- there is a much fuller 'Year 7' programme for those reaching the end of their curacy, and in the process of transition to positions of responsibility or to new roles as assistant clergy.

All the details of our approach to IME Phase 2 and of the events for curates and training incumbents are found in the Diocesan IME Phase 2 Handbooks. While the training events in the IME Phase 2 programme are delivered jointly by Lindisfarne RTP, the dioceses’ systems do differ in some ways, so there are separate Newcastle and Durham Handbooks. Every curate and training incumbent should have received both an electronic copy by email and a hard copy of the relevant Handbook.